The Last Days
The Century of Turmoil is a period of roughly over one hundred years, as the name suggests, during which the Kholmaz Ozbarok suffered great instability and destruction, both from internal conflicts and warfare. The Century of Turmoil ultimately ended with the empire's downfall, decisively killing the largest nation Thendarr had ever seen. Holgramm othrumn rules for 3 years before his execution Khorgas rules for 16 years ormthus rules for 19 years and dies in battle as well as his two sons during the orcish invasion (uncle of ormthus) grydan rules for 28 years and dies of old age Kranlyg rules for 6 years but is killed in a bar dispute (bad emperor party alot. he didnt do anything. Possible he was actually assasinated by Holmund and covered up) (kranlygs brother) Holmund rules for 24 years and the demonic invasion starts 22 years into his rule The demonic invasion lasts 12 years Towards end of invasion tons of dwarves go into the great mines and lock themselvs in to save themselvs from the marauding demons. The dwarven empire completely collaspes over a period of 2 years after the demonic invasion. The government dissapears. Remaining dwarves who did not flee into the mine cities become sparse as many are killed by the elements or by the many dangerous enemies. The ones who survive all this eventually die off over the decades (except a small group of scattered tribes who developed notably different. They are the surface dwarves) Events Fall of the Othrumn Since Kholm Holgram Othrumn was becoming increasingly insane, as well as expanding the power of the Kholm to dangerous amounts and often completely ignoring directive by the Kholmazkarond. Furthermore, he had left no heirs, and showed no sign or interest of birthing a son. The Imperial Hall conspired for the good of the Empire that they would initiate the old right of deposement. However, upon hearing this, Holgram Othrumn escaped the authorities seeking to arrest him and stormed the in Tolgazad with his personal Golems while it was in preparation for a trial. There, he and his personal Golem guard began to attack and murder the . Eventually, however, Holgram Othrumn was defeated by the and captured. He was put on trial, and in a unaninmous decision he was sentenced to death and executed. The powerful Kal-mek clan assumed leadership next, their patriarch Khorgas becoming the first Kal-mek Kholm. Kholmaz Kal-mek The Kal-mek clan inherited an Empire that was only held together by it's past glory, and it took very long for Kholm Khorgas to become adjusted and prepared to deal with the empire's problems. However, the problems did not take any pause, and all the neglected issues that formed under Kholm Holgram only worstened with time that Khorgas Kal-mek did not have. Small issues plagued the Imperial court which began to compile into larger and larger issues, on top of that Kholm Holgram's problems that had long been left unattended and festering where not improving. Famine was raging throughout the provinces of Ralnu'an, the Elven homeland, and it was left unattended by the Imperial magi. Human barbarians from the northlands too had begun descending down in a wave of uncontested plunder, with the Empire's legions lacking payment or sufficient reosurces to stop them. However, Holgram had left the in severe debt as he had spent massive amounts without the Kholmazkarondai approval. The Kholmazkarond was forced to impose increasingly high taxes, in some regions the quotas were unrealistic, in an attempt to rebuild the unkempt nation and mobilize support groups to help citizens on the crumbling fringe. The high taxes brought some revenue in, and Imperial magi were dispatched to stop the famine in Ralnu'an, however the efforts where too little. The famine had already grown for too long and Kholm Khorgas did not have enough resources to dispatch any more aid. The Imperial legions met some success in halting the barbarian northmen's advance in present day northern Lenrois, by defeating them at the and permanently halting their momentum, sending them back and scattered across the northern willdlands. Unfortunately, the high taxes only served to worsten conditions and bring unrest and anger across the Empire. People began to resent the new and upstart Kal-meks. Instead, they reminisced of the glory days of the Othrumn, blinded by nostalgic pride and already forgotten of the short-lived terror of Holgram. Breaker of the World The stresses of attempting to salvage the broken Empire took it's toll on Kholm Khorgas, and after sixteen years of ruling he decided to step down and pass the throne to his son, Ormthus Kal-mek. By the time Ormthus has inherited the throne, the problems that Kholm Holgram had left behind where already beginning to recede. A Name History Will Remember Kranlyg Kal-mek was disturbed by the increasing popularity of his family, especially with the recent war, and by now the threat of large scale rebellion was becoming very prevalent. In the west the Elves had become so bold they now openly opposed the rule of the empire on the streets, and in the east a new heretical religion, Triunism, spread rampantly which defied the laws of the empire. Even fellow ozbar defied the rule of the Kal-meks, whether it be the most impoverished or wealthy politicians seeking to chip power away from the Kholm and to themselves. The economy of the empire too, was suffering. Increased raids on caravans began to discourage and prevent trade across the empire. Small villages, which many of the Imperial Weavers had retreated from, where now completely vulnerable to raiders. The famine had subsided, but many where still left in poverty and starving. Farmers became abandoned as the famine had destroyed swathes of crops and left them nothing to regrow, and vagabonds began to wander into towns. Reconstruction put heavy tolls on the Imperial treasury, and some towns where left in disrepair and to rebuild themselves. Grydan realized it would fall up to him to make his family into a name that the Kholmaz Ozbarok would remember forever, and in order to do that he would need to accomplish a feat greater than holding the fracturing empire together. He decided, he would discover a way to ascend into the heavens from the mortal plane, to enter without passing onto the spirit realm. Then, all dwarves could escape what Grydan saw to be the coming of the end of times. Demonic Onslaught Fall of the Ozbar